JPH0415461A - Automatic icemaker - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obviate simultaneous actuation of two motors for feedwater pump and ice removing by a method wherein when a start switch of a motor for ice removing operation is forcibly actuated, a control means is switched to sub-flow, and an ice container is rotated only when the feedwater pump is OFF. CONSTITUTION:When a start switch of a motor to perform ice removing operation is forcibly actuated, a control means is switched from main flow to sub- flow, and determines if feedwater pump at step 101 is ON or OFF; when ON, reversed to main flow causing the motor for ice removing operation not to start, and only when OFF, forwarded to step 102 causing an ice container to rotate. Thus, the motor for rotating ice container is prevented from being driven while the motor for feedwater pump is operating. Power source of current value necessary for simultaneous actuation of two motors is unnecessary. And a reduced cost of automatic ice maker can be offered.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an automatic ice making device that automatically rotates an ice making container to perform an ice removal operation after ice making is completed.

Conventional Technology In recent years, automatic ice making devices such as those attached to household refrigerators, such as the CR-R40C■ manufactured by Toshiba Corporation, have a water supply pump motor that supplies water into the ice making container, and an outer bottom surface of the ice making container. A temperature sensor for detecting the completion of ice making is attached to the ice making container, and when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor becomes equal to or lower than the ice making completion temperature (for example, -12°C), the ice making container is rotated to perform an ice removal operation. There is also a device equipped with a function to forcibly perform an ice-release operation using a Nui Nochi signal in order to confirm whether or not the ice-release mechanism has malfunctioned. Hereinafter, its configuration will be explained according to FIGS. 6 to 3rd vane 1o diagrams.

FIG. 9 shows the configuration of a conventional automatic ice making device.

Reference numeral 1 denotes an ice-making container, and 2 denotes temperature detection means consisting of a thermistor attached to the outer bottom surface of the ice-making container 1 for detecting the completion of ice making. 31"l11. A water supply tank, which is installed in the refrigerator room when attached to a household refrigerator. 4 is a water supply pump motor that supplies water from the water supply tank 3 to the ice making container 1. 6 is a water supply pump motor that supplies water from the water supply tank 3 to the ice making container 1. The ice-making mechanism rotates the ice-making container 1 to perform an ice-off operation, and includes a motor 6 that rotates the ice-making container 1, and a twisting section 7 that twists the ice-making container 1 to release the ice. Then, the position detection means 8, which is a micro-sinch or the like, indicates that the twisting is completed.
When this happens, the twisting is complete. Further, there is a horizontal position detecting means 9 made of a micro-sinch or the like that indicates the horizontal position of the ice-making container 1G, and when it is turned on from OFF, it can be determined that the ice-making container 1 has become horizontal. 10 is a water storage box installed under the ice making container 1 to store fallen ice. Reference numeral 11 is a switch that issues an instruction to forcibly operate the motor 6 to perform an ice removal operation.

Next, the control circuit will be explained. Reference numeral 12 denotes a control means consisting of a microcomputer or the like, and the temperature detection means 2, the position detection means 8, the horizontal position detection means 9, and the switch 11 are connected to its input terminals. A drive means 13 for driving the motor 6 and the water supply pump motor 4 is connected to the output terminal.
．． 14 are connected. Further, the driving means 13.14
is supplied with a power source (not shown) for operating the motor 6 and the water supply pump morph 4. Furthermore, the control means 12
A water supply timer 16 is configured to count the time during which the water supply pump motor 4 is operating. To explain the control means 12 here, when there is a signal input from the switch 11 in addition to the normal step operation (hereinafter referred to as the main flow), the main flow step moves to another step operation (hereinafter referred to as the subflow). After completing a step, it is configured to return to the original main flow step.

In this configuration, the operation will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

First of all, FIG. 6 shows the steps of the main flow.If the state of the horizontal position detection means 9 is turned ON in step 201, it is determined that the ice making container 1 is horizontal, and the process proceeds to step 202. If it is determined that it is not horizontal, proceed to step 203 and turn on the motor 6 to operate it.
Set.

In step 202, the mokro is turned off, and the process proceeds to step 204. In step 204, it is determined whether the temperature of the temperature detection means 2 is higher or lower than the set value, and if it is higher, then in step 204, the process waits until it becomes lower.

Further, if it is determined in step 204 that the temperature is low, it can be determined that ice making has been completed, and the process proceeds to step 206, where the motor 6 is turned on. Therefore, the ice making container 1 is rotated. Then, the twisting section 7 applies twisting to separate the ice from the ice making container 1. Therefore, in step 206, it can be determined that the state of the position detection means 8 is ONL, and that one ice cube has been completed, and the process proceeds to step 2.
At step 07, the motor 6 is turned on and off until the ice making container 1 becomes horizontal, and at step 207, it waits until the horizontal position detection means 9 is turned on. In step 207, the horizontal position detection means 9
When turned on, it is determined that the ice-making container 1 is horizontal, and that ice removal is completed, and the motor 6 is stopped in step 208. At step 209, the water supply pump motor 4 is operated to supply water to the empty ice making container 1, and at the same time, at step 210, a timer is started, and at step 211, the water supply pump motor 4 is operated until the time is up.

When the timer times up in step 211, the water supply pump motor 4 is turned off in step 212. With the above steps, water supply is completed and one cycle of the ice making cycle is completed, and the process returns to step 204, whereupon this cycle is repeated to automatically make ice.

Next, in FIG. 7, the subflow is entered by an input signal from the switch 11 at a subflow step. First step 30
1, the motor 6 is turned on and the ice making container 1 is rotated. Next, in step 302, the position detection means 8 is turned ON.
When the position detecting means 8 is turned on, the process proceeds to step 303.The motor 6 is then moved until the ice making container 1 is horizontal, and in step 303, the horizontal position detecting means 9 is turned on. Wait till it becomes. In step 303, the horizontal position detection means 9 is set to O.
When the temperature reaches N, it is determined that the ice making container 1 is horizontal, the ice making is completed, and the motor 6 is stopped in step 304. Step 304 After stopping the temotor 6, the process returns to the step when going to the sub flow of the main flow.

However, in such a configuration step 209
During the operation of step 211, that is, when the water supply pump motor 4 is ON, if the switch 11 is used to forcibly move the motor 6, the water supply pump motor 4 and the motor 6 are QNed at the same time. The current supplied from the source becomes very large. When the water supply pump motor 4 is operating, 1M1 (although it is short, if it is a power source that guarantees the current value by operating at the same time as the motor 6, a very stable power source is required and the cost is high. There were 9 problems.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide low-cost automatic ice-making device control without unnecessarily increasing costs.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the automatic ice making device of the present invention provides that when a command is received to forcibly move the motor using a switch while the water supply pump motor is operating, the water supply pump motor is activated. The structure is such that there is no need to go to the step of checking whether the motor is running or not, and forcing the motor to move if it is running.

Function: Due to the above-described configuration, even if the user issues a command to forcibly operate the water pump motor using a switch while the water supply pump motor is in operation, the motor will not be forced to operate and will continue to function as normal. Continue operation.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. It should be noted that the same components as those in the prior art will be given the same reference numerals, detailed explanations thereof will be omitted, and only the different parts will be described.

9. The vane 16 is a control means composed of a microcomputer, etc., and has a water supply timer 16 inside.

In these four steps, FIG. 1 shows the steps of the sub-flow, and the steps of the main flow (second step) are exactly the same as in the conventional example, so their explanation will be omitted. When the switch 11 is pressed and an instruction is issued to operate the mokro in T3Di mode, the control means 16 goes from the normal main flow to the sub flow. Here, in step 101, the water supply pump motor 4 is
Check to see if it is turned on, and if it is turned on, immediately return to the step when you went to the main flow sub flow. Also, if the water supply pump motor 4 is turned off in step 101, the process proceeds to step 102, where the motor 6 is turned on.
The ice making container 1 is rotated. Next, in step 103, the position detecting means 8 waits until the state of the position detecting means 8 turns ON, and when the position detecting means 8 turns ON, the process advances to step 104, and the ice making container 1
Continue to move the motor 6 until the
At 04, the horizontal position detection means 9 turns on and waits.

When the horizontal position detecting means 9 is turned on at step 104, it is determined that the ice making container 1 is horizontal, the ice making on the first floor is completed, and the motor 6 is stopped at step 106.

After stopping the motor 6 in step 105, the process returns to the step when going to the subflow of the main flow.

Therefore, water supply pump mode 4 is ON during the ice making cycle.
When the switch 11 is turned on, the motor 6 is forcibly turned on.
Even if the water supply pump motor 4 is turned on after confirming that it is turned on and turned on, the flow of forcibly moving the motor 6 is immediately removed and the original flow is returned to.

Further, if the switch 11 is pressed while the water supply pump motor 4 is OFF, the motor 6 is forcibly moved and the ice making container 1 is moved in the state of the position detection means 8 and the horizontal position detection means 9. The motor 6 can be stopped at a horizontal position and the original flow can be returned to.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the automatic ice making device of the present invention, when the water supply pump motor of the ice making cycle is operating and water supply operation is being performed, the user can forcibly operate the motor with a switch. If you issue an instruction to do this, check whether the water supply pump motor is ON or OFF and decide whether to force the motor to move, so that the water supply pump morph and motor operate at the same time. can be prevented. Therefore, there is no need for a large power source to guarantee the current value when operating simultaneously, and this has the great effect of providing a low-cost automatic ice-making device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sub-flowchart of an automatic ice-making device showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a main flowchart of the same automatic ice-making device, FIG. 3 is a control circuit diagram of the same automatic ice-making device, and FIG.
The figure is a perspective view of the automatic ice making device, Figure 6 is a perspective view of the ice removal mechanism of the automatic ice making device, Figure 6 is the main flowchart of the conventional automatic ice making device, and Figure 7 is the same automatic ice making device. 8 is a control circuit diagram of the automatic ice making device, FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the automatic ice making device, and FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the main parts of the automatic ice making device. 1...Ice making container, 2...Temperature detection means, 3...Water supply tank, 4...Water supply pump motor, 6.Old...Ice removal mechanism, 6...Motor,
8...Position detection means, 9...Horizontal position detection means, 11...Switch, 16...
- Control means. Name of agent: Patent attorney Shigetaka Awano and one other person

Claims (1)

[Claims] a water supply tank, an ice-making container, a water supply pump motor for supplying water from the water supply tank to the ice-making container, a temperature detection means attached to the ice-making container, a motor for rotating the ice-making container, and a position of the rotating ice-making container. an ice removal mechanism that rotates the ice making container and drops ice, the ice removal mechanism comprising a position detecting means indicating a horizontal position of the ice making container and a horizontal position detecting means indicating a horizontal position of the ice making container; a first driving period in which the motor is driven to horizontalize the ice making container; a cooling period following this first driving period until the temperature detection means reaches a predetermined temperature or less; A second drive period in which the ice making container is rotated after the end of the period; a water supply period in which the water supply pump motor is driven after the second drive period; An automatic ice making device comprising a control means that does not forcibly move the motor when the switch is pressed while the motor is in operation.